Cala Ratjada beaches - a winding coastal promenade

I parked on the outskirts of town and decided to walk down to the first beach, Cala Moll. The sea is clear and a beautiful aquamarine colour but my word is it busy! Littered with hundreds of people floating about on lilos, and as for finding a spot on the beach itself, you can almost forget it, I guess you have to get there early and claim your spot. It is a nice sandy beach with access to plenty of bars and restaurants all along the coastal path. As I could find no space to lay out, I decided to follow the promenade to see where it would lead.

It is a lovely walk from Cala Moll around the bays, past lots of restaurants and bars serving every conceivable type of cuisine with every kind of atmosphere, from the hippy chic and ultra-modern, to rustic and traditional. The promenade takes you past La Ferradura, composed of a tiny little cove, rocky but empty, leading in to the same beautiful sea and all along the path you can access the most amazing rock formations that are handy sunbathing platforms that lead you down into the cool waters. There are excellent snorkelling opportunities all along this rocky coastline. Eventually you will reach the harbour and the centre of the town. Here you can see the fishing boats and yachts whilst you enjoy a refreshing drink or meal at one of the many establishments around the harbour.

If you choose to walk on, as I did, the promenade gets quieter, the restaurants and bars stop and you are left with a wonderful sense of peace and tranquillity as you follow the coast round with shady benches dotted along the promenade to stop and appreciate your surroundings. After a little while longer you reach Cala Gat, this is obviously where the locals go and you can see why. The beach is not as busy as Cala Moll and the area surrounding it is absolutely stunning. The cove is ensconced at the centre of some amazing rock formations offering plenty of diving platforms for the young bucks willing to prove their bravery! There is a lovely little beach bar with a very relaxed, laid-back vibe.

After enjoying Cala Gat I walked back through the town, I found the road just up the hill, behind the beach and followed it right through the centre of town. It is a compact town but has everything you could need. It has a very touristy feel but nearby Capdepera and Artà have plenty of history and tradition if you are after a day of culture. You could easily spend a day along the coast here, popping into the wonderfully clear sea for a snorkel and then up to the promenade for a bite to eat or a drink and you could carry that on all the way along until you get to Cala Gat for a wee lie down on the sand.